Is insomnia after Pacemaker surgery normal?

Insomnia after pm

by Ajaycan - 2018-02-26 16:43:20

Hello, i am 63 years old and was implanted a dual rate response DDDR St.Jude pacer on 10 nov 2017, due to intermittent complete heart block. I had a couple of fainting incidences and was fortunate that my Son forced me to get to a heart hospital. After the loop test, the doctor without allowing me to formally get the admission process or the cost involved , just put me under ER and implanted a temporary pacemaker in about less than an hour prep time.The next morning i was in surgery and a permanent  DDDR put under my left shoulder. Today i am glad to be alive. My quality of breathing has improved considerably and feel as if i have been reborn again. My tirednesss and sleepiness has been reduced. Yes one side effect is that i do not get sleep. Many a time ii do not sleep the whole night, being awake till 7.00 am and then briefly sleeping for about 2 to 3 hours. But then I enjoy this new phase, as i feel more energised and keep busy the whole night  learning programming, new languages, watch YouTube on big screen, etc. Sometimes i wonder how quickly night flies. I am grateful to have a new life and the new energy .

PS. I plan to travel and walk extensively this year!

Thanking you,

Ajay patel, Bangalore, India

Sleeping well

by Gotrhythm - 2018-02-27 14:07:06

After my pacemaker I had more trouble falling asleep, but before getting the pacemaker my slow heartrate had kept me so exhausted that I would asleep the instant my head hit the pillow, sleep like the dead for 10 hours and wake up tired. So my sleep really hadn't been "normal" before the pacemaker.

I get to sleep pretty well most of the time now, but I wake several times during the night. For me, it's a trade off I'm willing to take to feel so much better during the day.

Has the cardiologist tried lowering his base rate? Since your dad lived symptom-free with a pulse in the 50s it is possible that the out-of-the-box base rate of 60 is too high for him, especially at night.

Talk with your dad's EP. Some pacemakers have day and night settings to better match natural diurnal rhythms. But if your dad's doesn't, it still can, and should, be adjusted to a level that works for him.

Based on my experience, the pacemaker team are unlikely to change his base heart rate unless you tell them what's going on and ask about a rate adjustment.

Is your father less active than he used to be?

by LondonAndy - 2018-02-27 19:57:45

I have been having difficulty walking (for reasons unrelated to the pacemaker), and find that if I have a day at home and don't go out, I have more trouble sleeping.  

Also, is he stressed about anything?  If he is having anxiety, maybe that is why?  I find that when I am stressed with work I have some insomnia, and what works for me is to get out of bed when it happens, and watch a funny video to completely take my mind off of it.  Just a thought.

Avoid Ambien

by NiceNiecey - 2018-03-04 12:32:19

Be glad your father's Rx for Ambien expired.  There have been concerns about this drug in those over the age of 60.  My husband (who does not have a PM) was taking Ambien a couple of years ago at the age of 57.  I finally flushed it down the toilet because it was making him crazy.  He'd wake up in practically a comatose state and would have no memory of anything he'd do for the next 4-8 hours.  

There are other alternatives out there for sleeping help and I'm glad he's working with professionals that can help.  Keep us posted on his progress.  I'm sorry he's experiencing this.